LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Unions faced killing machines

Sunday, January 13, 2013

The Oakland Press was one-sided in its coverage of its Dec. 14 article "Violent protests hurt union causes."

UAW President Walter Reuther said it best: "Any gains won at bargaining table can be stolen by lawmakers and judges." Consider that the strike at Matewan, W.Va., against coal companies was broken with tanks, machine guns and airplanes dropping bombs on strikers, killing strikers and women and children who were burned alive in tents.

Republicans long for the "good old days," when the strikers were treated with machine guns by our heroes in the police department and National Guard.

Your editors should search the Internet for "labor massacres" on Google. Fist fights don't compare with deliberate murder of strikers by police and guardsmen.